Move That Bus

OK. So I like a couple reality television shows.

The Amazing Race tops my list because I love to travel. I am also amazed at the coordination that it takes to get groups of people running around the world. After that, there are three more that I like to watch. Each for their own unique reason.

There’s Survivor. It’s a little cut throat at times, but I love the uniqueness of the competition. The reward and immunity challenges are sometimes so compelling. I also wonder, if I found myself deserted somewhere for an entire month, would my Boy Scout training come in handy? Would I be able to survive?

There’s Dancing with the Stars. My days of being on stage have given me a great love for performance and dance. Yes, some of the dances can be a bit suggestive, but many are beautiful flowing works of art. And it makes you feel like you have a chance to trip the light fantastic someday when you see a 300 pound NFL player gracefully gliding across the stage.

Finally, there’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Every Sunday evening my wife, daughter and I grab a box of Kleenex and watch as Ty Pennington and a volunteer crew of hundreds come together to change the life of a deserving family. People give, companies give, and lives are changed by the compassion that is in most of us. They take the third part of our mission statement and “Change the World.” Even the lives of the “star designers” have been dramatically impacted by what has been done to change the life of a family. It is so great to see the frustration and hopelessness on a family’s face turn to joy and relief when they “Move that Bus.”

About the time you read this message, I will be shouting those words as I help welcome back the Drumm family to their new Quincy Township home. I have always wanted to volunteer for EMHE. And wish I could have given more of my time. As I write this (on Wednesday night) I don’t know what I will be doing. I’ll pick up trash, I’ll sweep, I’ll move furniture, or I’ll just stand there and pray that lives will be changed. To be able to give of myself is the reason.

You know, the more I have been thinking about this, the more my heart has been saying, “It’s great to serve the congregation, but what about outside the walls. What are you doing on a regular basis to serve others?”

Greg Atkinson, Director of Technical Arts at Bent Tree Bible Fellowship in Texas, recently talked about how his media teams get together once a quarter to do a service project. They, as a group, get together and serve someone outside the walls of the church.

So it got me to thinking, CLA has developed a great number of new “Big Serve” opportunities for individuals and groups to participate in (check them out here.) How many of you would be interested in getting together every so often, and serving with your team members? How many of you would like the opportunity to “Move the Bus” out of the way for someone and help them see the road ahead? The road to Christ.

Email me and let me know if you would like to take part.